Steel wire rope is widely used for lifting and hauling purposes, often in considerable lengths. Good practice is to restrict the normal maximum stress to about 20% of the breaking load of the wire rope, but frequently conditions occur under which the wire rope is broken. The broken rope has a substantial amount of stored energy, which causes the broken ends to whip violently, often causing serious injury or damage. Wire rope is described in Mark's Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers, New York, 1967, pages 8-113 to 8-124.
We do not known of any prior patent art, publications or wire rope which are relevant to this invention.